Shadows Within: Case Files
by shadowblade-tara
Summary: Having a mental connection with your teammates changes the way you work to solve crimes. Shadows Within saga.
1. Minimal Loss

Criminal Minds © CBS.

AN: Part of the Shadows Within saga. Casefic based on the episode Minimal Loss. This is where I'll stash my casefics based in the Shadows Within world.

**Minimal Loss**

There are few things that can truly frighten a team like the BAU. They have seen everything, done everything, and with the added addition of the wonderful _feel_ of each other in their minds, even those things that would shake a normal person could be well enough handled.

Still, Hotch feels the fear spike when he hears Morgan scream. He and Rossi come running, skidding to a halt on the balcony. Morgan points at the TV. His hand is shaking. Hotch listens.

There's a raid on a cult compound. At first, Hotch doesn't understand. Then Morgan utters the fated words.

"Prentiss and Reid."

Hotch doesn't make it a point to listen in on his agents when they're on assignment, especially an easy one like interviewing children. This particular cult has never shown signs of being dangerous before, although the state police tend to think otherwise. Now he opens his mind a bit, and he can sense the fear and shock from Prentiss and Reid.

Morgan and JJ look to Hotch and Rossi. Garcia is already on her way from her office, but Hotch's voice stops her.

"Looks like we're leading this one. Pack up – let's move!"

/-/

"Which one of you is it?"

Reid's staring down the barrel of a revolver, mouth dry, trying to stay calm and as politely confused as he can. Maybe he can play off this new development and defuse the situation. Unfortunately, he's also staring down the barrel of a revolver, and if there's one thing he's learned about Prentiss over the years, it's that she will not take chances with others lives.

"I am."

_Prentiss! You can't – you don't know what he'll do to you!_

_And if I don't, he'll do all those things to you._ Prentiss doesn't even look away from Cyrus. _ I will not take that risk, Reid. I can't._

_You think I want to take that risk with you?_ Reid snaps, and luckily his face doesn't show the terror and anger in his voice. _I've been there, Prentiss. _I can do it again goes unsaid.

Prentiss nods. _And that's why it has to be me._ Because you've already endured too much. Because I'd hate myself if I made you endure it again. Reid thinks his heart is going to break, but he lets Cyrus take Prentiss away. God forgive him, he let her go.

_It's okay, Reid._ Hotch's voice, calm and cool against his mind. _It's okay, we're here, we're going to get you out._

Slowly, Reid straightens. _If you're coming in, I'll prepare the way._

There's no response, but Reid can still feel them all. He knows Morgan is scared, he knows JJ is currently trying to find the reporter who let the whole FBI bit slip (and he really, really wishes he could see the unholy hell she's going to rain upon him), he knows Hotch and Rossi are currently hating themselves and struggling to find a way out.

He can _feel_ every blow that bastard is raining down on Prentiss. He can hear her faintly – _I can take it_ – but he's not going to let her face it alone. He didn't have to face Tobias alone. She won't have to face Cyrus alone either.

So he reaches out, trying to take as much pain from her as he can. It's a trick they learned a long time ago – during the case with Tobias, actually, when the others had worked together to keep Reid from feeling the worst of it, although there was nothing they could do about that blasted narcotic. Still, Reid reaches out, and he knows the trick is working when Prentiss rails against him, fighting him and Cyrus the entire way.

Still, Reid does not give up, and when Prentiss is finally left alone, he finally pulls back. He hears Morgan whisper a hushed _thank you_ to him. Prentiss may kill him yet, but Reid at least feels like he accomplished something in this mess.

/-/

Prentiss is outside, begging someone to go find Reid. Despite Morgan's reassurances, she keeps asking for Reid. Hotch thinks she's in shock. It would be surprising if she wasn't. They're clearing out the civilians. Morgan and Reid are somewhere in the chapel, and Hotch can't stop his hands from shaking. He _feels_ every time Cyrus slams the butt of his gun into Reid's stomach until the man finally falls to the ground.

Inside, Morgan sees as well. Morgan feels it just as clearly as Hotch does, as Reid does. This is Cyrus. This is the man who hurt Prentiss, who threatened his family. He takes aim.

"Do you think you can stop me!"

Cyrus makes like he's going to pull the trigger. Morgan doesn't give him the chance. Reid doesn't even flinch as the bullet blows Cyrus away.

"We just did."

Then Morgan's there, helping Reid to his feet and trying to assess the damage all at once. Reid's not letting him though. "Where's Prentiss?"

"Outside, safe." Morgan assures him. "Between the two of you, I think Hotch is gonna turn grey."

They both sense her at roughly the same time. They turn as one, seeing the young woman Cyrus had taken as a wife. She looks from the agents to her husband's dead body, and Reid knows what's going to happen a moment before she reaches for the detonator. He grabs Morgan, trying to force the older man outside. Morgan's only a second slower before he starts running for the door as well.

Outside, Hotch and Rossi are frantically trying to clear the agents out of the way. There's only so much they can do before the entire chapel explodes.

Prentiss screams. Hotch and Rossi jerk away from their duties and run to her, the heat of the burning building searing their skin and hurting their eyes. Together they stare at the building, casting their minds out, searching for their teammates. Prentiss breaks first.

"Reid! Morgan!"

Finally, _finally_ Reid and Morgan stumble out of the wreckage. They're both singed and dirty, and Reid walks like his ribs are bruised, but otherwise they are unharmed. Morgan smiles at them.

"We're okay!"

Suddenly Reid finds himself with his arms full of Prentiss, the shorter woman shaking with relief. Reid holds her tightly. He's trembling as well. They all are.

It's a bit too close, but they've had worse. Hotch glances around, securing the location of JJ. She rushes over to the team. Prentiss has yet to let go of Reid, Morgan stands behind both of them as if protecting them from some unseen enemy, and the others simply watched and tried to act like the professionals they were supposed to be.

What Hotch really wants is to do the same thing Prentiss is and hug them both.

Rossi touches his arm. _Let's go. Our job is done here._

Hotch nods. There will be time to check on everyone when they get back to the plane.


	2. 100

AN: The next in the case file series. I do apologize for the delay – Vacation called!

**100**

Hotch finds himself standing there, staring blankly at his team as they gather around him. They protected him. He knows he should smile at them, let them know they did good, but he can't. He can't make his brain kick into gear. He can barely hold the tears at bay.

Haley's dead. Jack is safe.

He's numb. Honestly, he can't even sense his team. They're nothing but vague shadows in his mind, not there, but not gone either. He knows that probably frightens Reid, but he can't bring himself to care. The others are probably talking to him, Strauss is watching him, but he still can't move.

Haley's dead. Jack is safe.

It's his mantra. He's trying to get this new reality into his head, and he can't. His soul will not accept it. He loves Haley. She simply can't be gone.

Haley's –

_Hotch?_

Reid's soft question breaks his mantra. Hotch flinches, his first motion since the team came and surrounded him. He can feel his soul cracking, threatening to shatter under this new world he now lives in, and more than anything he wishes he could go home and sleep forever. He tries to think of something to say to Reid, something to escape and run away just keep running –

Suddenly there's warmth on his chest, arms wrapped around him, and he snaps back into himself to see Reid hugging him fiercely. Hotch gasps.

Reid does not hug people. Generally, Reid does not touch people. His team is a rare exception, and even them he doesn't really touch. He doesn't mind being touched most of the time, he just doesn't initiate the touch. The team touches him, but he does not touch first.

Yet, here they are – Hotch with an armful of Reid.

He breaks. The tears come in hot torrents, burning his face, and he finds himself clinging to Reid like he's the only thing keeping him from flying apart at the seams. Reid doesn't pull away. He allows Hotch to bury his face in the younger's neck and shake. The others close rank, hiding them, hands gently touching his back and shoulders, keeping the shattered pieces from falling too far.

When it's over, when the tears are finally used up and he feels he can take a step without passing out, Rossi says he's staying at his house. There isn't a negotiation. Hotch doesn't have the energy to fight him about it. He doesn't want to go back to that house, and Rossi's place is big enough for both of them.

_I want to stay too._ Reid says, already grabbing his messenger bag. Rossi nods. In fact, the entire team winds up at Rossi's house, sharing the guest bedroom and taking couches and generally just sleeping anywhere they could. Now Hotch can sense them all through his pain, and it reassures him as much as it does them. Haley's loss has hurt them too, even if only because it hurt him, but that is enough.

He is not alone.

He's literally not alone that night. When the first of many nightmares jerk him from numbing sleep into harsh reality, he realizes Reid has taken up residence in the guest room with him. His youngest simply hands him a glass of water. After a moment, he guides Hotch from the guest room into the living room.

The others are already awake. He probably woke them up the same way he woke Reid. Still, the TV is on to a hokey disaster flick on Sy-Fy and someone made popcorn (probably JJ). They sit on and near the couch together (the thing wasn't designed for seven people) and Hotch dozes in and out with Rossi and Morgan on either side of him and Reid sitting on the ground at his feet. Garcia and JJ keep their youngest from falling over as he falls asleep again as well. Prentiss curls up on the other side of Morgan and uses his shoulder as a pillow.

When morning comes, the sharp pain in Hotch's soul stabs him anew, but this time it's not overwhelming. He's surrounded by his team – _his family_ – and he knows Foyet didn't take everything from him. Enough, but not as much as he thought.

Hotch is broken, but not destroyed. He can rebuild. He is rebuilding, watching as his team sleeps peacefully around him, surrounding him with warmth.

He is not alone.

Haley is dead. Jack is safe. Hotch is not alone.

He smiles to himself and hopes that Rossi has enough coffee for all of them.


	3. Lost in the Echo

AN: Half casefic, half missing part of the Shadows Within saga. Story inspired by the song "Lost in the Echo" by Linkin Park.

**Lost in the Echo**

He's finally free. He stands there next to Hankle's dead body, shaking (and not entirely from the physical violence, either – he can already feel the effects of withdraw kicking in) and fighting back the tears. Gideon tells him it's time to go, and before he can stop himself he asks for a moment.

_Please Gideon help me I can't stop I can't stop please Gideon Gideon help – _

"Go ahead Reid. Take your time."

_NO Gideon please help me help me HELP – _

He turns back to the body and crouches down. Before he can stop himself, he snatches the bottles from Hankle's pocket. As he pulls his hand back, someone else's hand clamps down on his wrist, stopping him. His head jerks up, eyes wide as he stares at Hotchner.

Hotch is crouched in front of him on the other side of the body. There is no condemnation in his face – just a pain that equals Reid's. It shocks him to see the shimmer in Hotch's eyes. He's not crying, but it won't take much to make him start. He grips Reid's wrist tightly before letting go.

_What?_

_I won't stop you. But if you take those, you'll never get rid of him. He'll always haunt you, and you'll never be able to get out from his shadow._ Hotch holds out his hand, waiting patiently for Reid to make his decision.

Reid can pocket the vials himself, or he can hand them over to Hotch. Gideon isn't here. He's not down in the dirt with Reid, fighting through this with him; it's Hotch. Hotch waiting, staring at Reid, calmly confident in his youngest's decision. Hotch that looks like he will break if Reid does.

The entire team was with him in that hell. Reid had felt them band together, pull as much of the pain from him as they could. They are the reason he's still alive.

Hotch is the reason he's still alive.

Slowly, he hands over the vials. Hotch takes them from him, then helps him stand. Reid trembles. Hotch smiles at him, then puts an arm around his shoulders as he guides the younger back to the team. Morgan hugs him as soon as he sees him. JJ is next. Reid is almost thankful Garcia isn't there – her hugs hurt on a good day, much less when she's scared and he's bruised. Elle smiles at him. He can't really sense her. He's never been able to.

Gideon simply isn't there. He's smiling at Reid like nothing is wrong, like everything can go back to normal. Reid already knows it can't. He can feel it inside him already, and it makes him hate Hankle anew. Hotch and Morgan are on either side of him, supporting him as they make it to the ambulance.

Everything is going to change.

**Lost in the Echo**

Tonight, the past has come back to haunt him.

Reid has shut himself in the hotel room's bathroom, hunched over beside the bathtub. He draws his knees up to his chest and fists his hands in his hair. He wishes he was rooming with anyone other than Rossi. Rossi doesn't know what he went through, he wasn't_ there_, but for some reason, the new/old agent decided to room with him. Originally, Reid didn't care. Now he does.

The cravings have come back in full tonight. There will be no sleep until they go away, which means there will be no sleep period. They always last through the night, and Reid hasn't found a way to ease them. Usually Hotch or Morgan rides the cravings out with him. They allow him to curse and scream and throw things and do whatever it takes to work himself into exhaustion to sleep it off.

Rossi isn't there. He left the hotel room not too long before the cravings started. Right now Reid can barely hear his own team. He doesn't know that Rossi asked the others to leave Reid alone, to let him handle what was coming. He doesn't know that Hotch is pacing in his room, wishing Rossi would hurry up with whatever his plan is. He just feels alone.

There's a few lines of a song he heard in a music store once that start running through his mind, and Reid uses them as a shield to keep the dark thoughts away. He sings aloud and in his head, a halting, hardly beautiful melody, but at least it helps somewhat.

"_And these promises broken deep below / each word gets lost in the echo / So one last lie I can see through / this time I finally let you go."_

He sings them over and over again, until he feels like he can't take it anymore, that he's going to break. He wants Hotch. Hotch was there the first time. He's been there every other time, when Gideon wasn't. Reid trusts Hotch.

There's a knock on the bathroom door, then Rossi walks in without waiting for a response. Reid really isn't aware he's there until the older man sits down on the floor in front of him. Reid looks up, startled, and Rossi takes the opportunity to shove a box of Twinkies into his lap.

Reid looks down at the box. "Rossi – "

"When I was a kid, I had a friend who got into some bad stuff." Rossi explains quietly. "When he got clean, he used the cream in the center of the Twinkies to curb cravings. He said it took the edge off enough so he could sleep off the rest of it."

With shaking fingers, Reid opens the box and pulls out a Twinkie. He glances up at Rossi for a second before opening the wrapper and breaking the Twinkie in half. He doesn't eat the cake – he can't stand the things. Instead he uses his fingers to scoop out the cream. It's messy and he can only imagine what Rossi must think of him, but he doesn't stop until he's finished off the cream. He goes through three more before he feels the effects kick in. A sugar high isn't the same as a narcotics high, but his body doesn't care at this point. He leans against the tub with a sigh.

"Thank you. That helps."

"Don't mention it. Hotch told me this might happen tonight." Rossi sits back a little. "Want to talk about it?"

"It's hard to." Reid admits. "I learned something that day I can't forget."

"About what?"

Reid never mentioned it to Hotch or the others, but he always hoped that one day he would wake up and Gideon would be part of their family. That he would finally be able to sense the older agent the same way he could sense Morgan and Hotch and everyone else. That day, with Reid pleading, begging Gideon to finally _hear him_ and help, just once, and Gideon walking away, broke something inside of Reid. He finally meets Rossi's gaze.

"I couldn't trust my own mentor." He stares Rossi square in the eye. "Now you're here, taking his place. How will I know I can trust you?"

Rossi chuckles. "Well, look at it this way – the day the Twinkies stop is the day I'm no longer trustworthy." He reaches out and squeezes Reid's shoulder. The younger agent flinches a little. He's never been one for touch. Rossi lets go quickly. "I may not be as used to this as the rest of the team, but I am not Gideon, Reid. I do not run away, and I don't look away. I'm not going to let you face this on your own. You shouldn't have to."

"You barely know me."

"That's never stopped me from helping before." Rossi says. Reid yawns, and he laughs. "Come on, before you pass out on the floor." He helps Reid to his feet and guides the younger to his bed. Reid passes out as soon as his head hits the pillow. Rossi throws a blanket over him and leaves him alone. As an afterthought, he puts the rest of the Twinkies in Reid's messenger bag.

_How is he?_

Rossi grins. _Sleeping. He'll be fine, Hotch. I care about the kid too._

_I know, but still – you weren't there the first time. I was. I feel like I should be there every time._

_You can't. We know how to stop the cravings now. That's a good thing._

_Reid on a sugar high. God help us._

Rossi can't help but laugh at that. Still, he looks at the door where Reid sleeps, and he makes a mental note to stock up on Twinkies. The kid pulled him in to this crazy family. The least he can do is look out for him.

/-/

AN: Can you tell I don't like Gideon? I didn't realize it either until I had Rossi to compare him to. By the way – I don't know if Twinkie cream actually helps drug cravings. I pulled that from a Law and Order episode.


	4. 3rd Life

AN: I'm back and still alive! I've started watching some of the old episodes again, and I felt inspired. Merry Christmas everybody!

**3****rd**** Life**

Reid beats them there. Hotch hates that. He tells Reid to meet them at the high school, and when he tacks on the 'be careful', it's not out of professional concern. Detective Payton rolls his eyes. White-hot rage burns through Rossi, and it's Prentiss who has to calm him down. What Payton thinks of their youngest isn't the issue right now. It's getting to the high school fast enough to keep Reid from facing two killers on his own.

But they're too late. Reid stands there in shock, staring at the decimated body. Jack shot Ryan in the face at point-blank range. There's not much left, just like Katie. Now Hotch is really glad he ordered the other detectives to stay back. Reid's shaking, barely holding together, and the last thing Hotch wants is Payton saying the wrong thing.

"I – I tried – "

"It's okay, Reid." Morgan places his hand on the younger agent's shoulder. _Don't break, Reid. Not now. Don't let them see you break._

Hotch watches as Reid takes a deep breath, stilling his tremors. When he appears completely calm, Morgan lets go and walks out of the bathroom. The other agents follow, Prentiss and JJ flanking Reid. Hotch and Rossi exchange glances before joining them.

Payton falls into step beside Hotch. They watch together as Jake and Lindsey are lead away. Payton's gaze turns to Reid. "I'm surprised the kid is holding up so well." he says.

Once again that flash of rage burns through Rossi. He doesn't lash out though. Instead, he simply says, "That _kid_ has held up under more than you could even imagine."

/-/

They abandon their separate hotel rooms to stay with Reid. The girls stand by the bed, waiting while Reid leans against Morgan's shoulder. He doesn't cry, exactly – there's no sound, but there's plenty of tears. Morgan acts as his anchor, letting Reid cling mentally to him while he rides out the worst of the guilt.

Hotch wants to be over there. He wants desperately to shield his agent from the horror he just witnessed. For the sake of Reid, he holds back. Rossi stands beside him, arms crossed as he leans against the wall. The two of them guard the door like they think someone is going to break in.

"You're acting like an overprotective father." Rossi says. Hotch chuckles.

"What about you? You looked ready to punch Payton in the face." he retorts. "For someone so hesitant about Reid in the beginning, you've taken to him quickly enough."

"He grows on you." Rossi says. _Especially when he's in your mind all the time._

_I know._

"I can hear you both." Reid mutters. He sits up and wipes his eyes. Hotch and Rossi approach the bed. Hotch touches his arm.

"Are you okay?"

Reid nods. "I am now." He smiles. Hotch knows it takes an effort. The memory is burned into Reid's mind, and through him, the team will forever relive it. Hotch finally just sighs and pulls Reid into a tight embrace.

"Next time, please wait for us."

Reid laughs. "Jake still would have killed him."

Rossi lightly smacks him on the back on the head. "That's not the point and you know it."

Reid smiles up at all of them. "Thanks, guys."

/-/

AN: Ack, short. Oh well. Next chapter may be longer, I hope.


	5. Rossi

AN: A description of Rossi's transition into the team.

**Rossi**

Working as a team is not something David Rossi is accustomed to. He says as much to Hotch right after that first case. Hotch is right – Rossi blew it. But it's how he would have handled it if he were working alone, and Hotch accepts the closest thing to an apology he's going to get out of the older agent. Having someone else to bounce ideas off of is a novel concept, but Rossi tries. He struggles with this idea of 'team'.

Having said team in his head all the time isn't helping. He only wishes that were metaphorical, but nothing he does can block the constant background murmur of the six of them in the back of his mind. He's used to mental solitude, but that may never be his again. No one has said if this thing is reversible, and Rossi doesn't broach the subject with anyone. It's obvious they've never thought to ask.

Reid is the other reason he never asks. The kid sits in the back of his mind, like the others, but unlike the others he occasionally reaches out. It's nothing major – a brush against his mind, like he's touching the man's coat, but it makes Rossi react like he's been punched. Every time he reacts, Reid backs away for a couple of days. Then he reaches out again.

Each time, Rossi reacts a little less. Finally, one day, Reid reaches out, and Rossi hesitantly reaches back. The younger man's elation washes over him like a tidal wave, almost overwhelming in its intensity, and he's glad he's sitting down in the jet with everyone else asleep. Otherwise he might fall under the weight. Reid senses this, and backs away, but not as far as he usually goes.

After that first case, Rossi knows he's going to have to earn the team's trust again. They were willing at first, and his stubbornness almost blew it. Reid's the only one who seems mostly unaffected. It's clear to Rossi the young man doesn't like that his team is distressed, but he doesn't seem to take it as personally as Hotch. Then again, Reid's not the team leader, and therefore not responsible for keeping everyone safe.

It takes a small incident in between cases for Rossi to see that, while that may be objectively true, it's not how Reid sees it. Okay, so small is putting it mildly. Rossi has never seen Hotchner so furious. Reid calls it a small incident, the way a young man in a college he was guest lecturing in brought a gun into his classroom. The boy drew the gun, but never opened fire; Reid calmly pulled the boy aside and explained the ramifications of what he was about to do. Ultimately, the boy gave Reid the gun, and the police were called.

If it were anyone else, Rossi would suspect some kind of hypnotism or whatever. But he's seen inside Reid's mind, and he knows the kid doesn't have it in him. That doesn't stop Hotchner from ripping him a new one for not calling the team. Rossi almost agrees with him until he hears Reid's calm response.

_If I brought the team in, do you realize how fast that would have escalated?_

_Do you realize that he could have killed you anyway? Dammit, Reid – _

_He could have killed you, Hotch, all of you. _Rossi can almost see Reid shuffling as he does when he's nervous. _I can't let that happen; you know that. You __**know**__ I'd do anything to protect you._

There's a long pause. Rossi can feel something break inside of Hotch. The senior agent's next words almost sound hopeless.

_Will you stop proving it?_

Reid smiles. _Not anytime soon._

_Dammit._ Rossi tries to tune out, but he's too new to this – he can _see_ how each close call, no matter how small, cuts Hotch just a little. He can _see_ Reid's determination to take every chance, because this is the closest thing he has to a family, and he won't lose it.

The kid earns his respect for that.

So Rossi decides to stick close to the kid. This turns out to be one of his better ideas. Reid knows how to control this thing; he begins teaching Rossi how to tune down the others, how to reach out and latch on, how to talk without ever making a sound. In turn, Rossi teaches him what he knows about profiling, testing what his former mentor already taught him, what he'd picked up himself, and adding on to that information with his own experience. The kid soaks up everything he says like a sponge.

Rossi finds himself growing fond of the kid.

The rest of the team grows on him too. Hotch is already a good friend, if not one of his closest friends; Garcia is definitely different, but she's refreshing too; Morgan, JJ, and Prentiss are sharp as whips and always amusing with their antics.

As for Reid, Rossi finds himself understanding the team's almost pathological need to protect him. As he reaches out, as the team becomes less of a team to him and more of a family, he understands why they will not allow anything to happen to their youngest. Reid brought them all together.

So if he becomes more protective of the kid as well, no one really says anything.

It really doesn't take long at all for Rossi to become a true part of the team. He doesn't really have a say in it at all. They've adopted him, and he wouldn't have it any other way.


End file.
